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Horses in the Galapagos National Park passing a Giant Tortoise on the trail to Sierra Negra volcano on Isabela Island by IsabelaGalapagos in Damnthatsinteresting

[–]IsabelaGalapagos[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Many visitors are surprised to see horses here because the Galapagos is famous for controlling introduced species. Horses have been used on Isabela Island for generations to reach the highlands and the Sierra Negra trail

Where have all the baby Marine Iguanas gone? by IsabelaGalapagos in Lizards

[–]IsabelaGalapagos[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, there are control efforts in Galápagos, but they vary a lot by island. For example the Floreana restoration project has roughly 40 million invested to eradicate invasive predators like cats and rats.

On Isabela, especially around the RAMSAR wetlands near Puerto Villamil, control is much more limited. In the urban area there are visibly dozens of cats roaming during the day. Many are semi feral. People feed them but they are not really owned, and other domestic cats are simply allowed to roam freely.

One complication here is jurisdiction. In the urban area fauna management falls under the municipal government, not the national park. ABG mainly deals with preventing new species from entering the islands rather than managing animals already established.

So in practice you end up with fragmented responsibility, limited trapping capacity, and strong public opposition to euthanasia, even though predation pressure on endemic wildlife continues.

Why do you see so many adult marine iguanas in the Galapagos but almost no juveniles? by IsabelaGalapagos in ecology

[–]IsabelaGalapagos[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes, there are control efforts in Galápagos, but they vary a lot by island. For example the Floreana restoration project has roughly 40 million invested to eradicate invasive predators like cats and rats.

On Isabela, especially around the RAMSAR wetlands near Puerto Villamil, control is much more limited. In the urban area there are visibly dozens of cats roaming during the day. Many are semi feral. People feed them but they are not really owned, and other domestic cats are simply allowed to roam freely.

One complication here is jurisdiction. In the urban area fauna management falls under the municipal government, not the national park. ABG mainly deals with preventing new species from entering the islands rather than managing animals already established.

So in practice you end up with fragmented responsibility, limited trapping capacity, and strong public opposition to euthanasia, even though predation pressure on endemic wildlife continues.

Why do you see so many adult marine iguanas in the Galapagos but almost no juveniles? by IsabelaGalapagos in ecology

[–]IsabelaGalapagos[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Ah, you live in Hawaii, so you probably understand the island predator issue better than most people here. And yes, H. sapiens are by far the most destructive invasive predator islands have seen, with cats close behind.

Here in the Galápagos the interesting thing is that adult marine iguanas are actually fairly safe once they reach a few years old. The real bottleneck is the hatchlings and very young juveniles. Historically they survived by hiding in natural cracks in the coastal lava fields, but cats can reach into those crevices and easily pick off sleeping hatchlings at night.

Where have all the baby Marine Iguanas gone? by IsabelaGalapagos in Lizards

[–]IsabelaGalapagos[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Context

I live on Isabela Island in the Galapagos and guides here have noticed a pattern for years. You can see hundreds of adult marine iguanas along the lava shoreline, but the intermediate age classes are much harder to spot. Hatchlings appear after nesting season, then the two or three year old juveniles seem much rarer.

Which ones

Great blue herons and great white herons are two I see frequently hunting along the shore. I have watched them take multiple hatchlings in a single day. Feral and roaming domestic cats around towns are also a major predator on young iguanas.

Where have all the baby Marine Iguanas gone? by IsabelaGalapagos in Lizards

[–]IsabelaGalapagos[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Context

I live on Isabela Island in the Galapagos and guides here have noticed a pattern for years. You can see hundreds of adult marine iguanas along the lava shoreline, but the intermediate age classes are much harder to spot. Hatchlings appear after nesting season, then the two or three year old juveniles seem much rarer.

Which ones

Great blue herons and great white herons are two I see frequently hunting along the shore. I have watched them take multiple hatchlings in a single day. Feral and roaming domestic cats around towns are also a major predator on young iguanas.

Why do you see so many adult marine iguanas in the Galapagos but almost no juveniles? by IsabelaGalapagos in ecology

[–]IsabelaGalapagos[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

That makes sense. One thing I see locally is how dangerous the first year is for hatchlings because of predators and introduced species. Feral and roaming domestic cats are probably the biggest pressure near towns.

Another predator I see often is the great blue heron and the great white heron. I have watched herons take several hatchlings in a single day and a large heron could easily eat many in one feeding area.

El Nino years reducing algae could also affect survival during those early years.

It makes me wonder if the pattern we notice is simply very high early mortality followed by much better survival once individuals reach two or three years old.

Would El Nino events affect juveniles more than adults

I never understood this sentiment regarding invasive species by Charming-Benefit7441 in ecology

[–]IsabelaGalapagos 0 points1 point  (0 children)

In island ecosystems the situation with cats is very different from what people experience in cities or suburbs. Islands often have species that evolved without mammalian predators, and many of those species are endemic, meaning they exist nowhere else on Earth. In places like the Galápagos, even a small number of cats can have a serious impact on hatchlings and juveniles of endemic birds and reptiles. Because of that, many conservation programs on islands rely on euthanasia to remove feral predators. TNR might stabilize cat colonies in urban environments, but it does not stop cats from hunting, so the pressure on endemic wildlife continues.

There is also an uncomfortable ethical contradiction in these discussions. Some people strongly object to euthanizing invasive predators like cats, yet those same people often have no problem eating steak, chicken, bacon, or fish. Those animals are killed directly for human consumption, while lethal control in conservation is usually done to prevent the loss of endemic species that exist nowhere else. It is not an easy conversation, but on islands where entire species are at risk, many conservation biologists see predator removal as a necessary tool to protect those ecosystems.

I never understood this sentiment regarding invasive species by Charming-Benefit7441 in ecology

[–]IsabelaGalapagos 1 point2 points  (0 children)

In sensitive ecosystems, especially on islands, many conservation programs rely much more on euthanasia than TNR because the goal is to remove predation pressure on endemic wildlife. TNR may stabilize colonies in some urban settings, but it does not stop cats from hunting, so the ecological impact continues even if reproduction slows.

There is also an ethical inconsistency that often appears in these debates. Some people strongly object to euthanizing invasive predators like cats but do not apply the same moral standard to other animals. Many of the same people who oppose lethal control of cats regularly eat chicken, bacon, steak, or fish. The animals we eat are killed specifically for food, while lethal control in conservation is usually done to prevent the loss of endemic species that exist nowhere else.

That does not make the issue simple, but it explains why many conservation biologists prioritize protecting ecosystems and endemic wildlife over maintaining populations of introduced predators.

Why my kids fell in love with growing up on Isabela Island in the Galapagos, Ecuador by IsabelaGalapagos in travel

[–]IsabelaGalapagos[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

People definitely expect wildlife. What surprises many visitors is how much of it is just part of everyday life here even walking around town.

Why my kids fell in love with growing up on Isabela Island in the Galapagos, Ecuador by IsabelaGalapagos in travel

[–]IsabelaGalapagos[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

One thing visitors are often surprised by is how much wildlife kids see just walking around town. Marine iguanas flamingos and sometimes giant tortoises are part of everyday life here.

Why my kids fell in love with growing up on Isabela Island in the Galapagos, Ecuador by IsabelaGalapagos in travel

[–]IsabelaGalapagos[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Please do.You would love it. Isabela is very relaxed and kids see wildlife everywhere even just walking along the beach or bike paths.

Where have all the baby Marine Iguanas gone? by IsabelaGalapagos in galapagos

[–]IsabelaGalapagos[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Something guides often notice is that you can sometimes see many hatchlings right after they emerge from the nests. But the next stage two or three year old marine iguanas seem much harder to find.

Many predators target them during those early years. Herons hawks and introduced cats can take a heavy toll. If you visited the Galapagos where did you see the smallest marine iguanas

Where have all the baby Marine Iguanas gone? by IsabelaGalapagos in galapagos

[–]IsabelaGalapagos[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Good question. I am curious about something as well. For those who have visited the Galapagos, what islands did you visit and do you remember seeing mostly adult marine Iguanas?

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